Dining review: Deer Park's Grill still turning on the charm

It's a given that when a business has been around for 91 years, some things must change. Closed for a decade, the Steakhouse Grill & Bar at Fairfax's Deer Park Villa, owned by the Ghiringhelli family, reopened in April 2012. Known in earlier decades for its Italian continental cuisine as well as its prime rib, the Steakhouse reconfigured its base of inherited Italian dishes and expanded the meaty offerings to stake a claim as a classic American steakhouse.

Tucked into a redwood grove planted by an earlier generation of Ghiringhellis, Deer Park Villa is an expansive stand-alone building with numerous rooms and a large, shaded patio. Weddings and other catered events in the four-acre garden are the norm here. Debbie Ghiringhelli manages the catering part, while brother and business partner Mike, along with business partner Ed Ferrero, overseas the restaurant operation. Mike's son David is chef de cuisine at the Steakhouse Grill & Bar.

Walk past the private party hubbub into the refurbished dining room where dark wood chairs and tables are set with cream-colored linens and fresh flowers. Newly covered and heated, the ample deck is now available for al fresco dining year-round. Sunlight filtered through the redwoods casts fresh light on the main dining room's repainted cream and deeply red walls. Except for the televisions, the cozy bar, all dark wood and smooth leather, looks much the same as it did when Grandmother Antoinette was mixing the drinks.

Antoinette might have enjoyed a Bulleit Manhattan ($9), featuring the Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, with her steak, a fine accompaniment for a classic, Omaha-sourced Angus steak such as flat iron ($19.95) or bone-in rib eye ($39.95), served with a side of seasonal vegetables and mashed potatoes. Pink in the middle at medium-rare, my New York ($29.95) held onto its beefy flavor. Though opinions vary on what constitutes medium-rare these days, I stand firmly in the rare-and-bloody-at-the-center group, and considered my provision to be medium, ergo, overcooked. Dipped in Bordelaise ($2.95) then slathered with sautéed mushrooms and garlic ($4.95), the steak and I found a happier place.

The Steakhouse serves some Italian dishes from its heritage menus such as veal scallopini ($18.95) and shrimp scampi ($16.95), and newer fare that hints of Asia, such as honey- and Sriracha-glazed chicken wings ($8.95) and spicy tuna roll ($10.95). The kitchen finesses some lighter flavors, too. Normally a humdrum dish, the organic kale and spinach salad ($7.95) was chunky with crisped sweet potatoes and endive, funky with blue cheese and finished just right with a mustard vinaigrette. Dipped in egg and flour, petrale sole ($19.95) basked in its lemony wine and caper sauce and grilled garden vegetables ($14.95), served al dente, shone with a simple olive oil and fresh herb dressing.

Having gone through so many changes, the refreshed restaurant is settling into the next family-run chapter of its long history. The villa's garden was recently replanted with the goal of bringing house-grown herbs and produce to the regular menu. Brunch plans are afoot for later this spring.

Mike Ghiringhelli set out to rebuild the restaurant with consistent quality at a good price. "Deer Park always represented value," he says. Ninety-one years strong, Deer Park is already a Marin classic. The updates serve only as a reminder that an inviting space can still turn on the charm for all of its guests. It is Deer Park's history that makes it ageless.

Christina Mueller writes about food — restaurants, chefs, products and trends — for local and national publications as well as other industry clients. Send her an email at ij@christinamueller.com.